NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Between the fifth and sixth periods, it was awfully quiet in the Nashville Predators’ dressing room.
That’s because speaking requires energy.
“Some guys weren’t talking much, ‘cause they were so tired,” said a grinning Mike Fisher, at around 1:20 a.m. Central time on Friday, as he stood in front of his stall in his socks and sweaty under-gear, his wet brown hair combed back.
Between double- and triple-overtime of Game 4 in this second-round series against San Jose, the 35-year-old from Peterborough, Ont., pounded back fluids full of electrolytes and ate bananas and “bars and whatever you can,” he said. “We were just trying to get energy.”
Then Fisher went out and ended a game that almost lasted two, a game that started Thursday and finished Friday, a game that was the longest in Predators franchise history. Playoff beards grew during this game, Nashville’s first-ever OT playoff win at home.
Pekka Rinne, who stopped 44 shots, was outstanding in all three overtime periods. He was also somehow still standing and grinning as he addressed the media: “It was a long game.”
One hundred and 11 minutes and 12 seconds long, to be exact.
That’s when Fisher jumped on a Mattias Ekholm rebound — “It just kinda bounced right to me,” he said — and he fired it past Sharks goalie Martin Jones, giving Nashville a 4-3 triple overtime win while knotting the series at 2-2 as it heads back to San Jose for Game 5 on Saturday.
It felt like the roof was going to blow off Bridgestone Arena after Fisher potted the winner.
“Our fans,” Fisher said, smiling, “they had as much energy as anyone. Going out for that third (triple overtime) unbelievable, and (we tried) to feed off that a little bit, too.”
In a game that featured two early goals scored on each team’s first shot — Colin Wilson for Nashville at the 41 second mark (the quickest playoff goal in franchise history), and Brent Burns for San Jose on a snap shot at 3:08 — there were an unbelievable amount of chances in extra time that didn’t go in so quick or easy.
Sharks captain Joe Pavelski pawed a rebound out of the air in the first overtime period, went airborne after it, then landed on Rinne and stretched out his stick and pushed the puck in the net. The Sharks celebrated, it was called no-goal, then reviewed and called no-goal again due to goaltender interference.
Sharks forward Logan Couture raised his arms to celebrate a goal he thought Joel Ward put in (he didn’t). Predators forward Ryan Johansen hit a post. Marc-Edouard Vlasic got a delay of game penalty. Joe Thornton ran over Barret Jackman. Rinne made a ridiculous save on a Tomas Hertl wrist shot, then Johansen came over and patted his goaltender on the head. (As Fisher said of Rinne, later: “It was all him.”)
Jones made a save with his toe. Pavelski took out Thornton and fell on top of him. Matt Nieto had a good chance. Everybody had a good chance. Shea Weber hit Paul Martin in the mouth and Martin bled all over his Sharks jersey. Patrick Marleau slid a wrap-around attempt through the crease in triple-OT. Wilson had a breakaway about eight minutes into that second third period of the game, but Jones made the save (then looked behind himself to make sure he had it).
Roman Josi came 18 seconds shy of logging 50 minutes. Burns played 47:35. Shea Weber played 49:07, and the only real rest he got was four minutes in the penalty box.
The Nashville Predators won, sure, but you couldn’t really tell from their body language in the dressing room afterwards, aside from tired-looking smiles.
“It took a long time,” Rinne said. “But thanks to Fish…”
The game plan for Part 2 of the game for Rinne was pretty simple: “Just stick with it and still play our systems and not cheat and be patient.”
Rinne and the Predators lost in triple-overtime to Chicago in 2015. “It takes the air out of you, when you lose that one,” the 33-year-old Finn said. “But it’s an experienced team over there, San Jose, so I’m not expecting that they get any weaker, or anything like that.”
Burns was exceptional for the Sharks, who looked lack-luster at times in regulation — they were out-shot and out-hit through the first three periods. The Norris candidate had eight shots and two goals.
But it was the Predators line of Fisher, Wilson and James Neal that provided the majority of the offence of the night/morning and was responsible for all four of Nashville’s goals.
This trio was together last year and reunited for Game 3.
“When you’re down 0-2, you’re looking for something different,” coach Peter Laviolette said.
Something different seems to be working well.
Wilson extended his playoffs points streak to five, and Neal scored his fourth goal of this post-season, and second in as many games. The Predators haven’t lost yet this post-season when he scores.
It was Neal who forced overtime, wiring one past Jones with 4:21 to go in the third to make it 3-3, adding a whole bunch more life to this game.
“I don’t care how (long) this game’s gone, if we had to play all night,” Rinne said. “It’s 2-2 right now in the series…It shows a lot of character when you pull out a win like this.”
On his winner, Fisher had to be a little patient. “He (Jones) made one (save), a similar play on me earlier where he got his foot out, so I was just trying to get around him a little bit,” he said.
And yes, the second overtime playoff goal of his career felt awfully good.
“It’s just kinda a blur, with everyone celebrating in the building and guys and just how exhausted you are, and more relief than anything.”
Forgive Fisher if that sentence doesn’t really make sense. Like he mentioned earlier, speaking takes energy.
